The present invention is directed to a restrained person transport and securing system that, in conjunction with a mechanical restraint system, may be utilized to easily and quickly transport a restrained subject and secure the subject to an ordinary bed, or any other stationary structure, without removing the subject""s mechanical restraints.
There are many thousands of human service and law enforcement agencies and facilities that provide care and supervision to aggressive, suicidal, and emotionally disturbed persons (hereinafter commonly referred to as xe2x80x9cEDPsxe2x80x9d). The staff and officers working in these agencies regularly come into physical contact with the EDPs through the use of physical subduing or restraint holds when the EDP becomes aggressive. Although there are many types of well-known physical subduing holds, the safest and most advantageous physical subduing hold is a Primary Restraint Technique (PRT) described in greater detail in a commonly assigned co-pending U.S. patent application entitled xe2x80x9cAPPARATUS AND METHOD FOR SAFELY MAINTAINING A RESTRAINING HOLD ON A PERSONxe2x80x9d.
While restraint holds are useful for relatively short periods of time, often, restraint of the EDP is necessary for an extended period. In such cases, the EDP must be restrained using some sort of a mechanical restraint system. Typically, this involves placing wrist and ankle restraints on the EDP so that the EDP may be restrained for an extended period of time at the place of the restraint hold, or transported to another location while wearing the restraints. Also, for extended restraints, special beds with integrated restraints are used in many facilities. Previously known restraint systems involve mechanical locksxe2x80x94for example, the popular Posey TAT restraint utilizes a mechanical spring-loaded lock that require a special key to open. It takes at least 4-5 staff members to successfully apply such restraints at a speed of no lower than 2-3 minutes per restraint. During the application of the restraints the EDP must be held down and poses a constant threat to the staff members until the restraining process is complete. Furthermore, removal of such restraints in emergency situations (i.e. in a medical emergency) takes a significant amount of time since a key must be located and used to open each restraint on each limbxe2x80x94this is especially problematic because without the key, which may not be immediately available in case of an emergency, the restraints cannot be removed at all. Manipulation of the restraints once attached is difficult as well requiring several people to pull webbing through complex system of buckles and connectors. Another problem that often arises, is that a bed with integrated mechanical restrains for restraining the EDP for extended periods of time may not be available when necessary, thus forcing the staff members to find alternate long-term restraint means. Also, complex previously known restraint systems are expensive, heavy, and require extensive training to use properly. This is especially true of beds with integrated restrain systems. Most importantly, sometimes restrained EDPs must be transported by being carried (i.e. when the EDP is sedated, unconscious, or particularly agitated) and this poses difficulty and danger both to the staff members transporting the EDP, and to the EDP themselves.
Finally, in certain cases, when the EDP is restrained for an extended period of time (for example at a bed), the EDP may need to be transported from the bed to another area. This may be required during very urgent circumstances (such as during a fire or other emergency). In this case, the EDP will need to be quickly removed from the bed, and this poses two significant problems. First, the EDP must be released from the bed restraints and new mechanical restraints must be applied. This exposes the staff members to danger from the EDP, because at some point the EDP will be only partially restrained, and also this process can take a very long period of time. Second, the EDP may be sedated or unconscious and unable to move on their own. In case of an emergency, the EDP will need to be carried and, as pointed out above, this poses difficulties and risks. The commonly assigned co-pending patent application entitled xe2x80x9cMulti-Point Soft Restraint Apparatus and Methodxe2x80x9d provides an advantageous solution to the first problem, but does not facilitate solution of the second problem.
Thus, it would be desirable to provide a lightweight and easy to use system for transporting and securing persons that are restrained with mechanical restraints. It would also be desirable to provide a transport and securing system that may be easily deployed onto, and removed from, beds and other stationary structures for long term EDP restraint. It would further be desirable to provide a transport and securing system that is easy to store and transport when not in use. It would also be desirable to provide a transport and securing system that once secured to a stationary structure may be instantaneously disconnected therefrom while maintaining the EDP in full restraints.
The apparatus of the present invention, and method of use thereof, remedies the problems associated with securing EDPs to stationary structures for long term restraint and with quick removal of the restrained EDP from the stationary structure in case of an emergency. In brief summary, the inventive transport and securing system advantageously provides: (1) quick and easy application to the restrained EDP as well as quick and easy removal in case of an emergency; (2) severe restriction to the range of motion of the EDPs chest, arms and legs; (3) a secure fit to any EDP size; (4) easy and quick releasable attachment to stationary structures; (5) lightweight and simple construction, making the inventive system easy to transport and use; and (6) easy and instant release of the system from connection to a stationary structure in case of an emergency.
The transport and securing system of the present invention is utilized in conjunction with a wrist and ankle mechanical restraint system, which releasably secures the EDP to the transport and securing system, to easily and quickly transport a restrained EDP and secure the EDP to an ordinary bed, or any other stationary structure, without removing the EDP""s mechanical restraints. A instant release mechanism enables a single staff member to immediately disconnect the transport and securing system from the stationary structure so that the EDP may me quickly transported into another location without releasing the EDP from the mechanical restraint system. The inventive transport and securing system includes optional releasable chest and stomach straps to supplement the mechanical restraint system. Alternately, the inventive transport and securing system may be configured to utilize an upper body protection and face shield system disclosed in the commonly assigned co-pending U.S. provisional patent application entitled xe2x80x9cArticulated Upper Body Protector Restraint Apparatus and Methodxe2x80x9d which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. When not in use, the inventive transport and securing system rolls up into a compact cylinder for convenient storage and transportation.
Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the drawings are designed solely for purposes of illustration and not as a definition of the limits of the invention, for which reference should be made to the appended claims.